Apollo 8

This is Apollo Control, Houston. 22 hours, 27 minutes, 28 seconds now into the flight of Apollo 8. The Apollo 8 spacecraft up to now 96,265 nautical miles [178,282 km] in altitude. Its velocity reading at this time, 5,556 feet per second, 5,556 feet per second [1,695 m/s]. Again, as has been characteristic - during this shift we've had no conversation with spacecraft commander Frank Borman since our last report. Meanwhile in our Mission Control Center, Cliff Charlesworth's team of flight controllers have taken over. And they're going to - Flight Director Cliff Charlesworth is now going around the room discussing various aspects of the mission with each of his key flight controllers. During the Black Team change - Black Team shift, we found Colonel Borman asleep for a good segment of that period. And he reported approximately 5 hours of sleep and then at about 18 hours, 40 minutes GET astronauts Bill Anders and Jim Lovell had their first opportunity to relax since awakening at 2:36 Eastern Standard Time Saturday morning. Otherwise, all systems appear to be functioning quite smoothly. And at 22 hours and 29 minutes, 48 seconds; this is Apollo Control, Houston.

This is Apollo Control, Houston. 22 hours, 50 minutes, 48 seconds now into the flight of Apollo 8. The Apollo 8 spacecraft at this time 97,513 nautical miles [180,594 km] in altitude. Its present velocity reads 5,504.2 feet per second [1,677.7 m/s]. We have, a short while ago broke our communications silence with spacecraft Commander Borman. He called down and asked a question [about a communications break]. ... [The] crisp and chipper voice from the ground was Mike Collins who has taken over the Capsule Communicator's role here in Mission Control Center. Meanwhile at 22 hours, 52 minutes, 28 seconds into the flight of Apollo 8, we're looking good and this is Apollo Control, Houston.

Apollo Control here at 23 hours, 10 minutes into the flight. And on behalf of the Green Team, good morning. We have had a shift change in the Control Center. And our Capsule Communicator, Mike Collins, is about to engage Frank Borman in a conversation in which he will cover, among other things, the fact that based on the tracking of the last 12 hours, we see only a need for another midcourse on the order of 0.7 feet per second. Which is too small - within our ground rules to bother with. And that is the position we will take. Don't really expect the crew would have a different view. All the other data sources, all the data looks quite consistent with Flight Plans and hopes to this point - we've had a relatively quiet period over the last few hours. Very little communication with this crew. Here goes the first call. Let's listen.

Apollo Control here. That apparently wraps up the conversation with this opening shift period this morning. We're - one other item of interest. We are rapidly nearing the 100,000-[nautical] mile point presently. 98,891 [183,146 km]. And we will certainly note the passage of the 100,000-mile mark - the big yellow line extending on our Earth/Moon map. Spacecraft is now roughly half way to its target, a small little white dot off in the far right, which is out at the 210,000 mark, for our mapping purposes. And all in all, that's our status at 23 hours, 17 minutes into the flight.

This is Apollo Control Houston. 23 hours, 48 minutes into the flight. Mike Collins has been chatting with Frank Borman about this net for the past few minutes... Apparently Borman - Lovell and Anders are sleeping quite soundly. We can almost detect that Frank Borman is keeping his voice in a low measured tone to avoid rousing them, We have suggested that their sleep period be extended as much as an hour - hour and a half. They were up nearly 24 hours, in fact, probably every bit of 24 hours due to the fact that they were roused about 2:30 yesterday morning Cape time and they went to sleep, oh, about 6 hours ago. It sort of made for a long day and apparently had no trouble sacking out. We have passed the 100,000 [nautical] mile mark. We are now 100,738 [nautical] miles [186,566 km] from Earth. This is Apollo Control, Houston.

Apollo Control, Houston here. 24 hours, 15 minutes into the flight and since we last talked to you, the only contact we've had from the crew is a brief confirmation from Frank Borman that the cryo fans had indeed been cycled, as discussed about an hour ago. We're 102,000 [nautical] miles [189,000 km] from the Earth and all is well. This is Apollo Control, Houston.

And this is Apollo Control, Houston. 24 hours, 37 minutes into the flight. We have had one establishing call since we last talked to you 20 minutes ago and it was nothing more than an establishing call. We're 103,800 [nautical] miles [192,200 km] from Earth at this point. And let's cycle through some of our consumables and other items this morning and we'll just look at them on our monitor and tell you what we see. The first chart we come to - and this is data, live data coming to us via Madrid - the biomedical harness is, well, a moment ago it was on Frank Borman but apparently it's been switched off now, We do know from this read-out that the cabin pressure is an even 5 pounds and the cabin temperature is 62° [Fahrenheit, 17°C]. Let's try another chart. We are looking at our radiation chart now. Let's first get the time of it. The current reading, and it looks to me very much like there's no observable change, it breaks out from yesterday. It does break out the proton, the various classes of protons, and also three classes of alpha radiation. And for each of those classes, gives an interpretive flux total. And all this comes down to the lower count is in the proton area, a dep dose of 0.11 rems, rems or, then that is further reduced or rated with the alpha readings, and we wind up with a dep dose of 0.03, a skin dose of 0.03. That's the entire cumulative total to this time, which is essentially negligible. Now we come to our Command Module/Service Module RCS summaries, and they follow the exact curve, the usage curve that we plot in our press kits and in our Flight Plan. Our Environment Control System tabulation, well let's see, again a confirmation of the cabin pressure, five pounds [34.5 kPa], and - we see a reading of 47 pounds per square inch [324 kPa] in the glycol pumping area. The Environmental Control System radiator temperature is 72.8 degrees [Fahrenheit, 22.7°C]. In all, this looks quite normal. And here's the biomedical comparative data, and this would be the Command Pilot just before the switch was switched off here only moments ago. Frank Borman's mean heart rate, 74, high of 77, a low of 71, and respiration is running about 15 per minute. That seems to cover the consumable priority for us. We'll later get a quantity reading on our remaining onboard propellant. That chart is not available to us right now. Our velocity now is down to 5,274 feet per second [1,608 m/s]. Now we have got a call from the spacecraft. Let's bring it up.

This is Apollo Control, Houston at 24 hours and 59 minutes into the mission. Within the last few minutes, we've heard from Jim Lovell and Bill Anders. Jim Lovell sounds the sleepiest of the group and over a 140,000 miles of intervening space. ...

And at 25 hours, 16 minutes into the flight - oops, here goes some more. We'll cut back.

And at 25 hours, 18 minutes into the flight, that apparently wraps up a very communicative period for this early Sunday morning. In the meanwhile the Control Center, humorists are busy, of course, trying to come up with music appropriate under the occasion. One title suggested is "Shine On Harvest Earth". I don't know how far that will get. At 25 hours, 19 minutes into the flight, this is Apollo Control.

And this is Apollo Control Houston at 25 hours, 41 minutes into the flight. Our velocity is down to 5,162 feet per second [1,573 m/s]. We are 106,270 [nautical] miles [196,812 km] from home...

This is Apollo Control, Houston. 26 hours, 27 minutes into the flight. We are 108,400 [nautical] miles [200,756 km] out. The velocity now is 5,080 feet per second [1,548 m/s]. We have had no conversation with the crew the past 20 minute period. We do have this advisory however, on the trajectory of the S-IVB. At this particular point in the mission, 26½ hours, the S-IVB is placed, by our best estimates, at a point 800 miles - it is moving on a track - 800 miles [1,500 km] outboard of the spacecraft and 1,200 miles [2,200 km] behind the spacecraft. I'll say again, it is 800 miles outboard of the spacecraft and 1,200 miles behind, diagonally behind the spacecraft. Both are nautical references. The point of closest approach of the S-IVB and Apollo 8 will be, according to our trajectory experts, at a point of when the spacecraft rounds the Moon for the first time. The S-IVB will go by - they will pass each other and there will be approximately 1,800 nautical miles [3,300 km] between the two of them at a point just as the spacecraft is acquired by the Earth, after its first around, and as it's completing its first trip around the Moon. The path of the S-IVB will be outboard of the Moon and it will move on into its solar orbit. The distance again; the point of closest approach is as the two move about the Moon, the S-IVB moving off on the Sun side of the Moon, the spacecraft making its first pass around. They will come within 1,800 nautical miles of each other. And that would occur at roughly, about 73 hours into the flight. That is based on a LOI [Lunar Orbit Insertion] of about 72 hours. At 26 hours, 29 minutes into the flight; this is Apollo Control, Houston.

This is Apollo Control, Houston at 26 hours, 51 minutes into the flight. We are - I'll have to estimate, based on the wall map, 112,000 [nautical] miles [207,400 km] out. ...

This is Apollo Control again, 109,9 - let's make it 110,000 even - [nautical] miles [203,700 km] out. Our velocity; 5,028 feet per second [1,533 m/s]. Our spacecraft weight now is down to 63,000 pounds, 63,023 pounds [28,587 kilograms]. I think in the course of that conversation, you heard that we see no further need for any more midcourse corrections between now and their journey to the Moon. At 26 hours, 57 minutes; that is our status.

This is Apollo Control, Houston at 27 hours, 45 minutes. We are 112,000 [nautical] miles [207,400 km] out. Our velocity is [about] 4,900 feet per second [1,500 m/s], and [some minutes ago, we heard] a very brief conversation on a star update to the crew.

This is Apollo Control, Houston. 28 hours, 8 minutes into the flight. It has been quiet during this most recent period, we have not heard from the crew. Our present distance, 113,000 nautical miles [209,300 km] from Earth; our velocity, 4,909 feet per second [1,496 m/s]. This is Apollo Control, Houston.

This is Apollo Control, Houston. 28 hours, 29 minutes into the flight. I want to clear up a velocity reading. Apparently I gave a reading earlier which either was in error, or I read it wrong. Our present feet per second is 4,875 [1,486 m/s]. I say again 4, 8, 7, 5; and our altitude is 114,000 nautical miles [211,000 km]. Within the last hour in a private conversation we have learned that there is some -- a little nausea aboard. Frank Borman reported an upset stomach, but Chuck Berry tells me it is getting better. That is all we know about it right now. ...

This is Apollo Control again. I say again on the nausea, Frank Borman reported an upset stomach. He has taken some medication, and he is apparently feeling better, He so reported to Dr. Berry. Bill Anders reported that he was not feeling his best. We don't know whether it is some sort of virus or just what, but I am sure that Chuck Berry will have more for us at the Change of Shift Briefing today. I say again the situation was reported to us within the last hour in a private voice tape down, that Frank Borman was reporting some stomach upset and not feeling particularly well. From strictly a layman's point of view, it sounded like the symptoms of the Asian Flu, but I am not going to attempt to diagnose it. At the same time Bill Anders was reported not feeling not completely himself either, but no overt signs of a cold or flu. Jim Lovell on the other hand [is feeling fine.] [Missing transcript] within -- since the original communication an hour ago, the crew has reported that they are generally feeling better. At 28 hours, 32 minutes into the flight; this is Apollo Control, Houston.

This is Apollo Control, Houston; at 28 hours, 55 minutes into the flight. Apparently our earlier report regarding velocity is still causing a great deal of consternation in the Press realm, so we will go through it one more time. Through error on our part or on the part of a chart, we apparently reported a discrepancy in the velocity. We want to correct that error. The present velocity we read on our Space Digital Chart is 4,833.3 feet per second [1,473.2 m/s], and it is getting smaller as is proper. It will continue to get smaller until the spacecraft reaches the lunar sphere of influence which is about 60,000 miles from now. At that point the spacecraft will slow down to approximately 3,900 feet per second [1,190 m/s]; these are Earth-related feet per second, at which time it will begin to speed up slightly as it makes its final approach to the Moon. So, once more, our present velocity, in terms of feet per second, 4,800 since we talked to you just a second ago. It is now down to 4,832 feet per second [1,472.8 m/s] even, 4,832. Our distance; 115,629 nautical miles [214,144 km] from Earth. We have had no additional conversation with the crew since our last report. This is Apollo Control, Houston at 28 hours, 57 minutes.

This is Apollo Control, Houston. 29 hours, 18 minutes into the flight. Our velocity; 4,790 feet per second [1,460 m/s]. Our distance; 116,658 nautical miles [216,050 km]. ...

This is Apollo Control. We are looking presently at the biomed read-out on Bill Anders, and it looks like this - a mean heartrate of, around, between 68 and 69. The highest the system has seen, in this sample period of roughly an hour, is about 88; the lowest its seen is 51. His mean respiration rate is 10, and, let's see, that's all of the data we have on that chart. No additional conversation since we gave you those readings. At 29 hours, 21 minutes; this is Apollo Control, Houston.

This is Apollo Control, Houston. Within the last half-hour, several members of the crew here have had another conversation with the Apollo 8, in private, regarding their medical situation and, apparently, it is much improved. We will have this tape for you shortly, but in general, Borman reports feeling much, much better. We'd estimate it will be 15 minutes before we have the tape. This is Apollo Control, Houston.

This is Apollo Control, Houston. 29 hours, 47 minutes. I would like to amplify a bit more on [the] recent taped conversation. Mike Collins opens it and this was a private conversation conducted from the communication room in this building, building 30. Collins asked the crew for additional detail on their condition and Frank Borman comes on the line and he describes his problems and he also says he has had several hours of rest this morning and is feeling much, much better. Jim Lovell, in the conversation, also reveals, for the first time, that he apparently wasn't feeling too well when they first went into orbit yesterday, and this was the first we had learned of that. He, of course, said that this was a momentary thing and he describes it in very finite terms. Let's see, that covers everybody but Bill Anders and he reports just generally feeling better and apparently a case of the butterfly stomach or some such this morning. Borman elaborates a bit and says he thinks he had a 24-hour virus. He says he noted some diarrhea, an upset stomach, and he describes some vomiting. Our head physician, Dr. Berry, gets on the line with Borman and presses him for additional detail, which is forthcoming but, in the end, Berry feels that the situation is considerably better than when we first learned of it, perhaps an hour or more ago, Within perhaps 5 or 10 minutes we should have the tape, which is now en route to our news center in building 1, on the line for you to play, ... Other than that, we are right on the Flight Plan and we are still scheduled for a television pass, beginning at 2:06 Houston time. ...

This is Apollo Control, Houston. ... We now have the conversation in which we have alluded to in two earlier announcements, a rather full development on examination of the crew medical problems. You will hear first Mike Collins, the Capsule Communicator, he is talking with Bill Anders. Then he talks to Frank Borman, then Chuck Berry, who I believe identifies himself, comes on the line. Here is that tape now:

This is Apollo Control Houston. That concluded the private conversation to determine the medical status of the crew. We learned, of course, in the conversation, obviously we learned about some things that were going on yesterday, much earlier in the flight, I think the report was 19 hours, which we had not learned until this point. We are satisfied now that the crew, the situation is certainly improving and certainly settled down. At 29 hours, 57 minutes into the flight, we are 118,400 [nautical] miles [219,300 km] out, and we are moving at a velocity of 4,739 feet per second [1,444 m/s]. This is Apollo Control, Houston.